Morocco to receive final SIGMA frigate next month

Morocco’s third and final SIGMA class frigate, Allal Ben Abdellah, will be delivered to the Royal Moroccan Navy on September 8.

Allal Ben Abdellah completed sea trials in June, on schedule. However, further training, including Sail Safety Training, took place after the sea trials in the North Sea.

Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding transferred the first SIGMA frigate to the Royal Moroccan Navy on September 10, 2011. King Mohammed VI, Supreme Commander and Chief of Staff of the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces, officially commissioned the first SIGMA frigate, Tarik Ben Ziyad, on December 23, 2011, in Casablanca.

The second frigate, Sultan Moulay Ismail, was transferred to the Royal Moroccan Navy on March 10 this year. After commissioning, the crew continued with three weeks of Sail Safety Training in Den Helder and the North Sea before sailing for Morocco.

The three SIGMA (Ship Integrated Geometrical Modularity Approach) frigates were ordered in April 2008 under a contract that includes one SIGMA 10513 ship 105 metres long (pennant number 613) and two SIGMA 9813 ships 98 metres long (pennant numbers 614, 615), all with commonality in the systematic arrangement including a Tacticos combat management system with antisubmarine, surface warfare, air defence and electronic warfare capabilities.

The shipyard notes the vessels are being fitted with a 76 mm Oto Melara main gun, as well as MBDA Exocet surface-to-surface and MICA surface-to-air missile system, the latter using vertical launch.

The frigates have flight decks and hangar accommodation for a medium-sized helicopter and are fitted with Eurotorp torpedo launchers.

Morocco also has on order a French “FREMM” multipurpose frigate, which was launched in September last year. The current fleet includes two Floréal-class frigates and a Descubierta-class corvette in addition to some 21 patrol craft and a number of other ships and vessels. Four more patrol craft are also on order.